So I picked up my first Xbox for $30, never had the OG one, only the 360 back in the day. Just read about the clock cap and checked my unit is a rev 1.3

https://preview.redd.it/i72hnxhudc2h1.png?width=309&format=png&auto=webp&s=3dba09697b91d8d9d7d54a0b097c432901adffcf

I found the clock cap and it was indeed leaking from the bottom thankfully, and not over the top and everywhere. Didn't look too bad compared to some of the pictures I've seen.

https://preview.redd.it/9b1r91b0ec2h1.png?width=291&format=png&auto=webp&s=0c66c882f154e0451bc27d019580775c13f4882e

I do have several years of soldering experience but opted to just bend the cap back and forth off considering it leaked at the bottom the leads should be pretty brittle and it wasn't an issue.

https://preview.redd.it/qr0cwpu1fc2h1.png?width=277&format=png&auto=webp&s=b8f66f76096a853edf523796d504835adafbd6be

https://preview.redd.it/0si2lz97ec2h1.png?width=363&format=png&auto=webp&s=ceab08a53157196fd749460f16a12b2b08bbc4ee

I'm not sure I cleaned up the mess well enough but I don't want to keep going back and forth scrubbing stuff and causing any trace damage, or pad lift. I did a few cycles and the best I got without using any scraping was this...

https://preview.redd.it/owwp2kaiec2h1.png?width=328&format=png&auto=webp&s=f3047bcc25b53106046cd8d880d21cbf529d7a6d

https://preview.redd.it/kl2l1j0jec2h1.png?width=374&format=png&auto=webp&s=8367474705fb8767785ee9562b74e49510ebc83c

Q7G2 and the pads on C7G6 still have a dark tint to it. I did a few tests with the multimeter and it seems fine, so I guess as long as nothing spreads further.

I checked all the other caps and nothing seemed bad, and since this console is so easy to just open up I'll re-cap it all at a later point as I need to check my cap book. I hope it all works out until then... and if I need to do trace repair later I can. I still get PTSD from working on some video board doing very tiny trace repair. 🤣

Are any of these components near the clock cap redundant?

Now I need to soft mod it, and get something going for Bluetooth controller connectivity. I make my own BlueRetro adapters with an ESP32, but I have to see what the equivalent is for this system. I noticed a Pi2 / Esp32 hybrid?

EDIT 1: I noticed my resistor for R7F8 vanished after I dried with compressed air.

https://preview.redd.it/lh2ac2gxsc2h1.png?width=292&format=png&auto=webp&s=0be94880da9752490b52a35e7a0a5334c9bc4f19

https://preview.redd.it/t5349m26tc2h1.png?width=257&format=png&auto=webp&s=489899830217422a12946e67058b1820cdad4390

Bit confused on why that component would be weak further back, and nothing near where the clock cap leaked... Probably wasn't a good solder job from the factory.

I cannot find online if there is any importance to this resistor, or if it only matters if you keep a clock cap there which I will leave empty. Anyone know the value of that component.

I'll see if it went under the PCB in the case.

EDIT 2: Couldn't find it, and did a full test on the console. No issues so I'm assuming with looking at the schematics it was tied to the clock, or if it isn't has no effect I could see so far. With it being open there now and no issues this is the only conclusion I can come to. If someone knows the value I could re-solder one back.

EDIT 3: Found out on pg 34 https://consolemods.org/wiki/images/1/10/Xblade_Schematics.pdf it is part of the supercap / VBAT RTC regulator circuit so those components listed don't matter.

I've noticed at several of the groups, more so with the younger guys that stick lengths are either at eye level or higher. I know some of the older 60+ guys I play with went from short to longer due to their back, but is the shorter stick being phased out?

Only asking because I was at a new group today and I got a few comments about how my stick was literally a child's stick because it goes just a tad bit above my collarbone.

I've used long and short sticks, but I found with the shorter stick I can stick handle way faster, release shots (snap and a quick wrister on load) with minimal setup, and it is easier to protect my stick from getting tied up or popped. The only downside was that extra reach and being able to move the puck out away and use my body to shield the puck, but with fast skating I found I can close the gap as well, and when protecting the puck I can pull it into my body easier and go past guys. Same applies to using one hand to stick handle and pushing guys off with my off hand.

Are shorter stick lengths becoming a thing of the past with the young guys now? Anyone else here using a stick around collarbone in skates?

Normally I put just a single square of 3M PPF on the landing block here:

https://preview.redd.it/tt8gmnwktryg1.png?width=287&format=png&auto=webp&s=babf4a33dbb224c80f819d1fddc259d0856ab8d3

But I tried to add another strip here as well:

https://preview.redd.it/j5qzyubptryg1.png?width=288&format=png&auto=webp&s=713515b8f08427c716d419e24d9b3ce8ca93a2d3

as it felt like the knee block and that outer part made good contact, and somehow my sliding seemed way worse, almost like getting stuck. I thought it would give me a bit more zip!

Not sure if anyone can explain this or if there is some physics majors here?

I looked for a quick AI answer and got:

---

🧊 The formula (quickly, then we’ll translate it)

P=F/A

• P = pressure
• F = force (your body weight)
• A = contact area

So:

>

🥅 What that actually means on the ice

🔹 With ONE square (your original setup)

• Your weight is focused on a small spot
• That creates high pressure in that spot

Think of it like:

• pressing your finger vs your palm into snow

Result:

• the pad cuts through the thin rough layer
• reaches smoother ice underneath
• easier to start sliding

🔸 With TWO strips

• Your weight is spread across a larger surface
• Each part has less pressure

Now it’s like:

• laying your whole hand flat on snow

Result:

• you don’t break through the rough top layer
• more of the surface interacts with snow/imperfections
• harder to start moving

🧠 Why this feels like “more friction” (even though PPF is slippery)

This is the part that feels backwards:

>

Because real ice isn’t perfect.

It has:

• snow buildup
• skate ruts
• soft spots

So what matters isn’t just material friction — it’s:

>

⚡ The most important part: STARTING movement

Sliding has two phases:

1. Starting (static friction) → hardest part

• needs enough pressure to “break free”

2. Gliding (kinetic friction)

• easier once you're moving

With ONE square:

• high pressure → easy to break free
• then you glide

With TWO strips:

• low pressure → hard to break free
• feels like you’re stuck before you even move

All my main groups are off until the fall so I thought why not head up to some public shinny to keep in shape... Normally I avoid these slots like the plague, and for good reason. I think the last public shinny I went to was two years ago or something and someone steam rolled me on a breakaway nearly broke my arm. Never went back since.

Last night I got invited by one guy I know to come out to the local shinny as they have trouble getting goalies, and the amount of close calls I had was just wild... I went to play the puck as well and when I noticed the the other forward wasn't slowing down I stopped before the puck against the board and got body checked, then pushed back so he could get the puck. I was extremely tempted to just drop my gloves and ragdoll him but he was an older guy and I didn't want to open up that can of worms.

I also noticed a lot of high sticks, and rough contact between the players too. One guy even got slammed to the ice off the face off and was just lying there head banged into the ice, while the other guy took the puck and was going towards me to shoot. Just unreal behavior! No stoppages when anyone gets rolled over, or falls and nearly breaks their neck.

Kinda sucks, but I guess there is always stick and skate or stick and puck to do edge work.